Textile processing machine



Aug. 20, 1968 AMEUNG 3,397,557

TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1966 Aug. 20,1968 a. AMELING TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Bern/art 7p United States Patent O 3 Claims.(or. 6810) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile processing machine inwhich a rotary conveying and indexing device carries one or morecontainers in which goods to be given successive treatments are to beaccommodated. The carrier transports each of these containers in acircular path to a plurality of treating units which are arrangedangularly spaced along this path. The conveying and indexing device alsosuccessively raises and lowers the respective containers and each of thecontainers is provided with a male coupling member whereas each of thetreating units is provided with a female coupling member, thearrangement being such that when a container is in registry with one ofthe treating units, it is lowered so that its male coupling memberengages the female coupling member on the treating unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to textileprocessing machines in general, and in particular to an arrangement insuch a processing machine whereby predetermined goods or commodities canundergo a series of successive treatments with a minimum of handling.

In the treatment of certain commodities, for instance in the textileindustry in the treatment of textiles for dyeing, bleachingwaterproofing and the like, it is known to move the material to betreated to several successively arranged apparatuses in each of whichthey undergo a treating step germain to the total processing the goodsor materials are to undergo. For instance, a textile which is to be dyedis placed into a first apparatus for a preliminary treatment,subsequently moved to an apparatus in which it is dyed, from there intoanotherapparatus to undergo a post-dyeing treatment, and finally to afourth apparatus where it is dried. Thus, the textile must successivelybe removed from each of these apparatuses and transferred to the nextapparatus. This is uneconomical in that it requires an excessive amountof handling and results in an unnecessary increase in the cost ofmanufacturing and selling the thus-treated material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is thus a general object of the presentinvention to overcome these disadvantages set forth above with respectto the prior art.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a textileprocessing machine in which the various treatments which a textile is toundergo during its processing are carried out-with a minimum of handlingand with the least possible loss of time.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a textileprocessing machine in which the material to be treated remainsthroughout the entire processing process in a single container and istherein subjected to all the various different treatments.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thegeneral type outlined above which is simple and economical to construct,and which is highly reliable in its operation.

In accordance with this and other objects of the invention, one aspectof my invention resides in the provision 3,397,557 Patented Aug. 20,1968 'ice of a textile processing machine, which includes a carriermeans adapted to hold goods which are to undergo a series of successivetreatments. I further provide conveying means which supports the carriermeans and which includes indexing means. This indexing means is arrangedfor advancing the carrier means in a endless path. Also provided is aplurality of processing stations which comprise treating units arrangedadjacent to spaced portions of the endless path, and each of thetreating units is provided with a coupling element. A complementarycoupling element is provided on the carrier means and the two elementstogether are adapted to automatically couple and uncouple the carriermeans with the respective treating units when the indexing meansadvances the carrier means into and out of registry with the same.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematicelevational view of one embodiment of an apparatus in accordance withthe present invention; and

FIGS. 25 illustrate some of the possible modification of the apparatusshown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing indetail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the textileprocessing machine shown there comprises in the illustrated embodi mentwo upright containers 1, these containers are each adapted to containgoods to be subjected to a series of successive treatments. Thus, ifthey contain a textile which is to be dyed, this textile will undergo apreliminary treatment, the actual dyeing process, a post-dyeingtreatment, and finally it will be subjected to a drying process. Thecontainers 1 are rigidly secured to a conveying and indexing device 5which is carried by a base B. The arms 6 serve to connect the containers1 with the indexing device 5' in a predetermined relationship relativeto the latter.

The conveying and indexing device 5 is rotatable in the direction of thearrow R, and it is further vertically reciprocable in the direction ofthe double-headed arrow VR. Obviously, with the containers 1 rigidlysecured to the device 5, all of the containers 1 will perform theidentical motions, along with the conveying and indexing device 5.

By way of illustration two treating units are shown in FIG. 1, and areidentified with reference numerals TU. Each of the treating units isassumed to comprise a pump 2 and a fluid supply device 3. Evidently, itis assumed that the two treating units TU shown in FIG. 1 are providedfor the purpose of introducing into the interior of the respectivecontainers 1 a fluid, either a liquid or a gas such as heated air.However, this is immaterial since the treating units can of course alsocomprise other component elements, depending on the treatment which thecontents of the containers 1 are to undergo at the respective unit.

What is essential in connection with the invention is the fact that eachof the treating units TU is provided with a female coupling member 4,whereas each of the containers 1 is provided with a male coupling member4' which is receivable in the respective female coupling members 4.

In operation of the novel device, the conveying and indexing device 5will first move upwardly in one direction of the double-headed arrow VR,thereby removing the respective male coupling members 4 from therespective female coupling members 4. Thereupon, the device 5 willrotate through a distance calculated to bring each container 1 intoregistry with a treating unit TU next subsequent to the one from whichit has just been disconnected. Now the device 5 moves downwardly,whereby the respective male coupling members 4 are introduced into therespective female coupling members 4. An operative connection now existsbetween the respective containers 1 and the treating units TUtemporarily associated with the containers 1, and the contents of thecontainers 1 can undergo whatever treatment is next to be carried out inthe chain of such treatments.

It will be evident that with this arrangement each container 1 willsuccessively be coupled with each of the treating units TU so that thecontents of each of the containers 1 will, if it is assumed that thecontents are to be dyed, first be subjected to a preliminary treatmentby connection with one of the treating units TU, thereupon be dyed byconnection with the next following unit TU, subsequently be subjected toa post-dyeing treatment by the third unit TU and finally be dried byconnection with the fourth unit TU. No handling of the contents of thecontainers 1 is necessary at all during this entire process so that notime is lost, labor is saved, the materials being processed are handledmore gently, and the entire manufacturing process is accomplished moreeificiently and more economically.

Preferably, the arrangement of the male coupling members 4' and theassociated female coupling members 4 is such that, when the malecoupling members 4' are introduced into the female coupling members 4,the resulting connection is fluid-tight even under pressure. Of course,depending on the type of treatment which is to be carried out, this maynot be absolutely essential. It will also be evident that the rhythm ofoperation of the novel device will be governed by the longest timeperiod required to carry out a processing step; in other words, theperiod of time required for each of the steps may be different and thelongest period required will dictate the rhythm of operation.

FIGS. 2-5 show embodiments of the invention in which two containers 1are provided (FIG. 2), three containers (FIG. 3), four containers (FIG.4) and, in FIG. 5, five such containers. Actually, the number ofcontainers will be dictated by the specific requirements and of courseby the number of treatment steps and the corresponding number oftreating units.

Advantageously, there is at least one more container 1 provided thanthere are treating units TU, so as to eliminate the necessity forinterrupting the rhythm of operation when the successive containers 1are to be loaded or unloaded. Thus, it is preferred to provide a loadingand unloading station which is included in the path, along with thetreating units TU. Advantageously, also, the containers 1 are spacedequally distantly from one another and of course in that case thetreating units TU and, if provided, the loading and unloading station,must also be equidistantly spaced.

It should also be pointed out that the coupling means consisting of themale and female coupling members 4 and 4 need not be precisely of thetype shown herein, although this is preferred. For instance, it isconceivable that the male coupling member 4' could be inserted sidewaysinto the respective female coupling members 4, so that the verticalreciprocation could be eliminated. This concept is also to be includedin the protection sought herein.

Furthermore, if desired or necessary the male coupling member 4 can alsobe provided with self-locking valves or other closures which act to openwhen the respective male coupling members 4 are inserted into the femalecoupling members 4, and which conversely close to prevent escape oftreating material or goods being treated from the respective containers1 when the male coupling members 4 are withdrawn from the respectivefemale coupling members 4.

Neither the such self-locking arrangements, nor the hydraulic orelectric devices suitable for rotating and reciprocating of the member 5are shown herein since these are conventional and thoroughly known tothose skilled in the art. g

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofarrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in atextile processing machine, it is not intended to be limited to thedetails shown, since various modifications and structural changes may bemade without departing in any way from the spirit of the presentinvention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In a textile processing machine, the combination of carrier meansadapted to hold goods which are to undergo a series of successivetreatments; conveying means supporting said carrier means and comprisingindexing means arranged for advancing said carrier means in an endlesspath; a plurality of processing stations comprising treating unitsarranged adjacent to spaced portions of said endless path; andquick-operating coupling means, including a first coupling elementprovided on said carrier means and a complementary second couplingelement provided on each of said treating units, arranged toautomatically couple and uncouple said carrier means with the respectivetreating units when said indexing means advances said carrier means intoand out of registry with the same.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meanscomprises first displacing means for displacing said carrier meansbetween a higher and a lower level, and second displacing means foradvancing said carrier means in said endless path while the carriermeans is on one of said levels.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said first couplingelement provided on said carrier means is arranged to automaticallyengage with a second coupling element provided on a respective treatingunit in response to registry thereof with said carrier means and tomoveent of the latter from one to the other of said levels.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said first couplingelement provided on said carrier means is arranged to automaticallyengage with a second coupling element provided on a respective treatingunit in response to registry thereof with said carrier means and tomovement of the latter to said lower level.

5. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said carrier means is acontainer, wherein said first coupling element is a male couplingmember, and wherein said second coupling elements are female couplingmembers.

6. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said container isarranged to one side of said indexing means; and further comprisingconnecting means rigidly connecting said container with said indexingmeans in predetermined relationship relative thereto.

7. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said processing stationsare equidistantly spaced from one another, and wherein said carriermeans comprises a plurality of equidistantly spaced carriers so arrangedthat respective ones of said carriers are moved into registry withsuccessive ones of said treating units when being advanced by saidindexing means.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said indexing means isarranged to advance said carriers in said endless path simultaneouslyand stepwise through distances corresponding to the spacing between saidprocessing stations.

9. A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein the number of carriersexceeds the number of treating units, and wherein at least one of saidprocessing stations is a loading and unloading station, so that at leastone of said carriers is in registry with said loading and unloading 10.A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein the number of carriersexceeds the number of treating units by one.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 907,229 12/1908 Friedrichs 682l0.1,622,543 3/1927 Rynders 68-10 2,000,745 5/1935 Demol 6827 10 2,341,1982/1944 Weiskopf 68-10 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,008,508 2/1952 France.

station when others of said carriers are in registry with 15 WILLIAM I.PRICE, Primary Examiner.

respective ones of said treating units.

